1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a stator of a rotary electric machine which comprises a plurality of phase windings.
The invention relates more particularly to a stator of a rotary electric machine, in particular an alternator or alternator-starter for a motor vehicle, comprising:
an annular cylindrical body comprising axial slots which open axially into the front and rear axial end walls of the body and which are open radially into the inner cylindrical wall of the body;
at least one phase winding which comprises corrugated turns of wire which comprise a series of axial strands which are received in a series of associated slots and connecting strands which connect the successive axial strands by protruding alternately with respect to the rear axial end wall and with respect to the front axial end wall;                at least one phase winding comprises a first outer half-phase forming a first outer layer of turns which is received in the bottom of the slot, and a second inner half-phase forming a second inner layer of turns which are radially superposed, the connecting strands of the first outer half-phase forming outer coil ends and the connecting strands of the second inner half-phase forming inner coil ends, the inner and outer coil ends protruding axially with respect to the front and rear axial end walls of the body.        
2. Description of the Related Art
The stators are already known in particular from the document FR-A-2.819.118.
In general, the number of slots on a stator is equal to three times the number of phase windings multiplied by the number of poles of the rotor.
Thus, for a stator which comprises three phase windings, known as a “three-phase” stator, and which comprises twelve poles, the body of the stator comprises thirty-six slots, and each phase winding is received in a series of twelve slots. Two consecutive slots of a series are arranged in such a way as to have between them two adjacent free slots, each free slot belonging to another series of slots which is associated with another phase.
When mounting each phase winding in the body of the stator, the axial strands of each phase winding are inserted in the slots of the associated series of slots via the open axial grooves in the inner cylindrical wall of the stator body.
The insertion of each phase winding must not be hampered by the coil ends of the other phase windings. The coil ends are therefore pushed radially outwards so as to free up some space axially opposite the open orifices of the slots in the axial end walls.
However, some stators have a body which comprises a greater number of slots, each of which is of reduced size.
This is the case with three-phase stators comprising sixteen poles. The body of the stator then comprises forty-eight slots.
This is also the case with a stator comprising six phase windings, known as a “six-phase” stator. In this type of stator, the transverse width of the slots is essentially divided by two compared to the slots of a three-phase stator of the same diameter with twelve poles.
Furthermore, the number of coil ends is multiplied by two. It therefore becomes difficult to insert a phase winding without being hampered by the coil ends of the other phase windings.